Two Utah football players earn AP All-America honors

For the eighth time since it began in 1925, multiple Utah football players were named to the Associated Press All-America teams.

Utes right tackle Spencer Fano was tabbed to the first team while defensive end John Henry Daley took home second team honors. The AP revealed all three of its offensive and defensive teams on Monday.

Fano, a second teamer in 2024, became the first offensive lineman in program history to earn multiple All-America honors in a career, and just the fourth player in school history to receive the prestigious accolade in back-to-back seasons. The other three played special teams: Tom Hackett (first team in 2014 and 2015), Mitch Wishnowsky (third team in 2017, second team in 2018) and Matt Gay (first team in 2017, third team in 2018).

Daley entered an exclusive club of Utah defensive ends to place on an All-America team, with Jonah Elliss (second team in 2023), Bradlee Anae (third team in 2019), Hunter Dimick (third team in 2016) and Nate Orchard (second team 2014) accompanying the redshirt sophomore in that rarified air.

It would've been hard to understate how impactful Daley's productivity off the edge was for the Utes defense prior to his season-ending injury on Nov. 22. The Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist and quarterfinalist for theLott IMPACT Trophy award led the country in tackles for loss (17.5) and was tied for No. 2 in sacks (11.5) going into the final week of the regular season. He was also third on the team in total tackles (48) and checked in as the only Utah player to force multiple fumbles through its first 11 games.

With Daley leading the way, Utah's 31 sacks in the regular season ranked No. 3 in the Big 12. The Utes defensive line also had the fastest time to pressure rate in the country at 3.12 seconds on average.

Utah was equally dominant on the other side of the trenches, too.

Fano, also a recipient of the Outland Trophy, helped pave the way for the No. 1 rushing attack at the Power Four level while remaining rock solid in pass protection. Utah ranked No. 4 in the league in passer rating (145.6) and No. 5 in completion percentage (62.9%), in addition to averaging 269.8 rush yards per game, second among Football Bowl Subdivision teams behind Navy (298.4).

The Utes' passing game might not have been as explosive compared to others in the Big 12, though it was among the most efficient due in large part to Fano, who didn't allow any sacks and yielded only five pressures across 382 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Fano's impressive campaign also earned him Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and all-conference honors.

In the 100-year history of the AP All-America teams, Utah had two or more players placed on the first, second or third team in 2022 (Dalton Kincaid, Clark Phillips III), 2019 (Jaylon Johnson, Julian Blackmon, Bradlee Anae, Leki Fotu, Zack Moss), 2018 (Matt Gay, Mitch Wishnowsky), 2017 (Matt Gay, Mitch Wishnowsky), 2016 (Mitch Wishnowsky, Hunter Dimick), 2014 (Nate Orchard, Tom Hackett) and 1994 (Luther Elliss, Anthony Brown).

The 2025 edition of the All-America teams featured eight other Big 12 players spread across the first, second and third team offense and defense. Texas Tech was the only member with two representatives on the first team, with David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez earning spots on the first team defense. Red Raiders interior linemen A.J. Holmes Jr. (second team) and Lee Hunter (third team) brought Texas Tech's total to four All-Americans.

BYU, surprisingly, didn't have a single player named to any of the six All America teams after its 11-2 campaign and runner-up finish in the Big 12 title race. Cougars running back LJ Martin wasn't among the six All-America running backs despite ranking No. 6 in the FBS with 1,305 rushing yards.

Utah's Las Vegas Bowl opponent, Nebraska, had one All-American selection in running back Emmett Johnson. His playing status for the New Year's Eve showdown at Allegiant Stadium appeared doubtful after he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft earlier in December.

Big 12 All-Americans

Texas Tech

David Bailey (first team defense)
Jacob Rodriguez (first team defense)
A.J. Holmes Jr. (second team defense)
Lee Hunter (third team defense)

Utah

Spencer Fano (first team offense)
John Henry Daley (second team defense)

Arizona

Treydan Stukes (third team defense)

Arizona State

Jordyn Tyson (third team offense)

Baylor

Michael Trigg (third team offense)

Cincinnati

Evan Tengesdahl (third team)

TCU

Eric McAlister (third team offense)